Stacey Bess (Emily VanCamp) got pregnant at 16, dropped out of school, and got married to Greg. She eventually got her GED and 8 years later in 2009, she gets her first teaching job in Salt Lake City. She's horrified to find a chaotic railroad warehouse shelter with homeless families run by Johnny Hernandez. With only her own resources and the help of the parents (Nicki Aycox, Kiersten Warren),she tries to create a safe environment. She finally meets superintendent Dr. Warren (Treat William) who is surprised by her work.

It's a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. It's feel-good. It's inspirational. It's a tear-jerker. It's all of that. It's sincere and it does that sincerity very well. VanCamp is a solid lead. She embodies that goodness. It is everything one expects from this type of movie.

I originally wasn't going to watch last Sunday but when I came home from work that day, my mom had it on there and seeing a familiar face from "Everwood" (Emily VanCamp),I decided to stick it out. I was very glad I did as this was quite an inspirational "based on a true story" movie though I'm sure since this was produced by the Hallmark greeting card company, not all the nasty things that went on that lower income school was going to be depicted. But you can see some of the frustrations this Stacey Bess went through and her struggles to get some needed textbooks and other materials when she talks to the man who hired her (Timothy Busfield). But when she then talks to another administrator (Treat Williams who I also recognized from "Everwood"),he decides to see what he can do and does more than she can thank him for. It was a wonderful surprise when these two former co-stars from the WB series showed up together on screen. There were other wonderful sequences but I'll just now say that this was very inspirational and if you're interested in this kind of thing, it's now on DVD at you're nearest Hallmark store. P.S. Loved the vintage Hallmark commercials that was shown throughout. Was especially interested in the one from 1975.

I've watched a number of Hallmark movies and here are the reasons. They typically are low-stress (no explicit violence, no bad language, no scenes of immorality, happy endings). Also they generally involve talented and good-looking actors. However, what they lack is unique and well-crafted stories (quite predictable plots),much drama, and much realism.

Beyond the Blackboard fits all the above (including some engaging child acting) but reaches higher than typical. It is helped by the fact that it is based on the true story "Nobody Don't Love Nobody" by teacher and advocate Stacy Bess, the main character in the movie. Though the film tames down the realism, it still manages to shine light on the the traps of homelessness that are difficult to escape, the common needs we all share, and the impact of family. The story also encourages those who are more fortunate to sacrifice and take action, out of simple humanity and also the priceless rewards that follow having a positive impact on children's lives. Being a lifelong educator myself, I also empathize with the value the film places on a safe and accepting learning environment, especially for children who don't have that at home and naturally long for it.

I think people who may or may not be great fans of Hallmark movies will be pleasantly surprised at this one.